


Viens avec moi!

by CosmicCrossing



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: AUish, Also Gary is there briefly, And Serena gracefully backs down like the queen she is, Clemont is a nervous mess, Fluffy, Friendship, In which Bonnie almost ruins everything, M/M, Romance, Science Boyfriends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-07
Updated: 2016-10-22
Packaged: 2018-08-20 02:40:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8233177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CosmicCrossing/pseuds/CosmicCrossing
Summary: In a rash and very sudden decision, Ash returns to Kalos in order to confirm his feelings about a certain blonde inventor. Of course not all goes as planned since Bonnie mistakenly sets Clemont up on a date with someone else and Serena is still pining for Ash. Even so, being separated for several weeks is enough to turn the tides, and Ash is determined not to leave without Clemont again. He poses a question that leaves the teen's mind reeling. "Clemont, will you…?" Diodeshipping!





	1. Back to Kalos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here we are! I'm finally posting this Diodeshipping fic after like...a year! I wanted to wait until I finished writing it, but seeing as XYZ is going to be done soon, I decided to post it now for everyone who is dreading...the end.
> 
> This was originally intended to be a oneshot, but I've written so much that I decided to split it up into multiple chapters because it's so long. Of course it's not finished yet, but it's planned to be pretty short anyway so it won't be as troublesome for me to complete it!
> 
> Just to let you know, this is an AU sort of thing—seeing as I started writing it last year there's a couple differences between it and the actual anime. It takes place several weeks after Ash's adventures in Kalos end, so there's that! I won't spoil anymore...
> 
> Sorry it's so short btw, I swear the next chapter (which focuses on Clemont) is way longer. So please be patient with me and I'l try to get it done ASAP!
> 
> Also Palletshipping is one of my favorite ships besides Diode so I just had to have Gary make an appearance ;D
> 
> Oh, and if you all were wondering what the title means...I won't say just yet, since it's sort of a spoiler. You can go ahead and translate it if you want! (Also I apologize if the translation is incorrect. I used several sources but sometimes it's just hard to tell with languages I'm not fluent in...)
> 
> I hope you all enjoy! Roll the chappy!

The sound of running water could be heard by a certain black trainer's ears as he laid curled up on the couch in his mother's living room. On his lap was a small yellow rodent who was curled up in a similar fashion, ears twitching every now and then but otherwise motionless. The teen was clad in a simple black T-shirt and sweatpants, having long ago abandoned his traveling gear in place of wearing something light and comfortable.

The day was fine and fresh, an everyday privilege the citizens of Pallet Town got to have (except for the occasional rain shower), so the windows were open, letting in a fresh summer breeze into the stuffy house.

A giggle erupted from the front yard, followed by several exclamations of, "Mime, mime!" as Delia watered her garden with loving care. She had been in a fantastic mood for the past few weeks, most likely due to the fact that her son had returned from another journey and, surprisingly, hadn't gone dashing off to another new region as soon as he returned. Well, she supposed it made sense; Ash was sixteen, almost seventeen now, and during his travels in Kalos he'd matured quite a lot, learning to be more patient and to take in the joys of life instead of running ahead and ignoring all of the important things. She wasn't quite sure how he'd become like that...Ash had always been impatient, and to suddenly have him come home all mellowed out? It was quite strange.

She recalled Ash's recount of his adventure, talking about a sweet girl named Serena who had become Kalos Queen, and another little girl named Bonnie who was very skilled with taking care of Pokemon...and then that boy, Clemont, who was a talented Gym Leader and robotics inventor, who was levelheaded and smart, who always calculated things instead of diving in head first. Delia supposed that, perhaps, Ash had picked up the ability to be more lenient from Clemont. Ash had told her that Clemont always managed to keep calm in dangerous situations and form a reliable strategy to get them out of it. He seemed to find that very admirable. She thought it was pretty amusing that, out of his three companions, Ash went on about Clemont the most, proving to her that the Gym Leader had made quite an impact on Ash and that they'd become extremely close during their travels.

Delia definitely owed it to the blonde boy. It was thanks to him that she got to spend more time with her Ash. He wasn't around all the time; most days he'd be at Oak's lab, hanging out with his Pokemon or spending time with Gary, who had taken a bit of time off from his own research to come home and have a little vacation, but she was still grateful.

Ash breathed in deeply, inhaling the scents of summer and his mother's garden. It was good to be back home in Pallet. He'd begun to miss it during his travels. Ash wasn't one for homesickness, but some parts of Kalos nostalgically reminded him of home, and he'd get a strange longing in his chest to see Pallet's rolling green hills and clear blue skies again. But now that he was here, he found that the aching hadn't faded away...it had actually transformed into something entirely different.

He recognized it. It was easy to realize what it was. He felt this way every time he came back home, every time he bid goodbye to his traveling companions and set off again. It was a strange hollow feeling in his chest, like there was something missing. And there was.

He missed them already. Serena, with her bright smile and endless optimism. Bonnie, with her peppy attitude and knack for getting into trouble. And Clemont...

Ash would be lying if he said he didn't miss Clemont the most. He'd never really had a friendship as strong as the one he had with Clemont. Sure, he had all of his friends from the time he was ten until now—Gary, Misty, Brock, Tracey, May, Max, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Serena, Bonnie...they were all very dear to him, but there were certain aspects that kept them from becoming as close as he had become with Clemont, like age and gender, for example. Brock, Tracey and Cilan were all a little older than he was, and Max and Bonnie were younger. Of course, Ash had a special place in his heart for the girls too. Misty, May, Dawn, Iris and Serena were all important to him as well. But it was different, being with them. A part of him was always on guard. Females tended to be unpredictable at times, and Ash occasionally felt a little awkward around them, so it was difficult to get especially close. Not that he didn't treasure those friendships any less, of course.

And Gary...Gary was his childhood friend, but their rivalry had created a rift between them that they'd only bridged recently, so Ash wasn't completely comfortable around Gary yet. Ash didn't connect with them all as well as he did with Clemont—with Clemont, he felt the most comfortable, since he was so easy to get along with, and Ash never had a problem with hanging off of him at times. They shared a kinship and appreciation for Pokemon battles that he really didn't have with anyone else. Ash might as well call Clemont his best friend, because, well...that's what he was.

Ash longed to see Clemont again. He missed the jokes shared between them, he missed talking about their equal love and appreciation of science, missed spending nights with him lying under the stars and talking about their future goals or their training progress, whether it be Ash's Kalos League prepping or Clemont's Gym battle improvements. When he thought about the shy yet wickedly smart blonde the ache in his chest only seemed to intensify, and he had to swallow it down before it consumed him.

Pikachu seemed to notice his Trainer's sudden rise in emotion and raised his head, chattering curiously. Ash gave him a halfhearted smile and patted him with a gloveless hand.

"Sorry, buddy. Just thinking about Cle—er, about everybody back in Kalos," he quickly corrected himself. "Funny, I miss them already. Do you?"

Pikachu cooed sadly and nudged his trainer's hand. Ash sighed.

"Yeah, I bet you miss Dedenne a lot, huh?" He murmured. "And Chespin and Braixen and Luxray and...just all of them!"

Pikachu nodded his head in agreement. "Pika!"

Ash stared up at the ceiling with a frown, lapsing into deep thought. Yet again, a new region had been discovered not too far away from Hoenn, begging for him to come explore. But this time, unlike all the other times, he wasn't really feeling up to it. Going on another journey and meeting new people and Pokemon sounded really tempting, but...

It wasn't like he was in any hurry. His newest adventure would still be waiting for him even if he waited a day or two. Or a week. Or a couple months.

Face set, Ash rose to his feet. He didn't want to deal with the aching anymore.

Pikachu climbed onto his trainer's shoulder, nose twitching. "Pika?"

Ash gave him a smile. "C'mon, Pikachu. Let's go see Professor Oak."

He pulled on his battered sneakers that he'd worn during his travels and threw open the front door, calling out, "Mom! I'm going back to Kalos!"

Delia let out a surprised shriek, nearly spilling out the contents of her watering can. "Wh-what?!"

Mr. Mime waved his hands about frantically, in as much shock as his trainer. "Mime, miime?!"

Even Pikachu looked startled, beady eyes wide.

Delia managed to compose herself and blinked at her son, who had an expression of utmost determination. It was quite the familiar sight.

"You want to go back to Kalos, sweetheart? But why?" She asked, setting her watering can aside for the moment.

Ash shrugged. "I dunno. I just feel like going. It'll be nice to see everyone again, don't you think?"

"But dear, what about that new region? I was almost positive you'd go charging off there the moment you got back," Delia chuckled.

Again, Ash shrugged his shoulders. "That can wait. For now, I just want to see how everyone's doing."

Delia couldn't help but laugh a bit. "It's only been a few weeks, Ash. I'm sure not much has changed since you left."

Ash's cheeks turned bright pink at this, much to her delight. It was very rare to catch Ash off guard, let alone embarrass him. "Mom! Of course it has! For all I know, Clemont could've created something amazing! I don't want to miss out on his inventions."

Delia stared at him for a moment, hiding a knowing smile at the mention of Clemont, and then she released a sigh. Well, Ash couldn't stay home forever. It was fun while it lasted.

"Alright, dear. But how do you plan to get there?"

Ash pursed his lips in thought. "I'm sure there's some kind of transportation to get myself there."

Delia rolled her eyes. Maybe Ash hadn't changed that much. He still didn't plan ahead. "Well, honey, I'm not going to stop you from going. But at least say goodbye to Professor Oak and Gary before you leave."

"I was gonna go over there anyway," Ash said, walking towards the front gate. "I'm gonna pick up all my Kalos Pokemon so that they can hang out with all of their friends there."

"Well, hurry back soon," Delia said, preparing herself to resume her gardening. "I'll pack you some clothes and then we can eat lunch before you go."

Ash gave her a brilliant grin. "Thanks, Mom!"

She merely waved as he opened the gate and sped down the road, trembling with excitement.

She rested her head in the palm of her hand and exhaled softly. "What to do about that boy..."

* * *

"Professor? Professor, are you here?" Ash called out as he stepped into the seemingly empty lab. Pikachu hopped down from his shoulder and ran straight for the back door, wanting to visit his friends.

"Ash?"

Ash glanced over to see an exhausted looking Gary, who was still dressed in his pajamas.

"Whaddya want? 'S too early..." Gary yawned, running his fingers through his chocolate brown locks, giving him even more of a bedhead.

Ash let out a snort of laughter. "Gary, it's already 11:30."

Gary smiled in return, white teeth flashing. "Damn, I woke up too early!" The boys burst into giggles at this.

"How can you sleep in so late? I'm not a morning person, but sleeping in past 11? That's, like, already half of your day gone!" Ash accused, eyes shining in amusement.

"Hey, when you're a Pokemon Researcher like me and you have to pull all-nighters constantly to get work done, sleep becomes the most important thing in the world," Gary told him, crossing his arms. "Don't tell me how to have my own vacation, Ashy-boy."

Ash raised his palms in defense. "Sorry, sorry. Anyway, where's the Professor?"

"Gramps? Oh, he's probably out making his morning rounds, checking on the Pokemon. Come on, Ash, you've known him for how long? You should have it down by now," Gary teased.

Ash stuck his tongue out at him. "Yeah, whatever! I guess I'll have to wait until he gets back, then..."

Gary gave him another one of those flattering grins that would make any girl jealous. "So, I was thinkin' we could have a battle later. For old time's sake."

Ash winced at this. Oh, it was so extremely tempting, but...no. Kalos, Ash, Kalos! "Ah, sorry, but...I can't stay. I'm leaving for Kalos this afternoon."

At this statement, Gary's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Kalos? Wait, what? I thought you'd be going to that new region...Alola."

Ash puffed out his cheeks in annoyance. Was he really that predictable? "Nah. I'll get over there eventually, but for now I really wanna go back to Kalos and see some friends."

Gary shook his head at him, looking mystified. "Ash Ketchum, not going on to his next adventure right away? I must be dreaming."

""Don't tell me how to have my own vacation", Gar Bear." Ash smirked, watching in satisfaction as Gary's cheeks flushed.

"Very funny," Gary sneered, arrogant attitude showing itself. "Anyway, didn't you just come back from Kalos a couple weeks ago? Why do you want to go back already? I thought you might pay a visit to Johto or Sinnoh or something."

This time it was Ash's turn to blush. "What, I can't have the liberty to visit some friends?"

"Yeah, but you literally saw them not too long ago," Gary pointed out, frowning. "It just doesn't make much sense."

Ash's cheeks only turned redder. One thing he really disliked about Gary was that he always had to be so damn logical and perceptive. The traits that came with being a researcher, he supposed. So what if he only saw them three weeks ago?! He missed them, and he wanted to see them again!

"Whatever, you wouldn't get it," Ash mumbled, turning away. Gary caught his wrist before he could make it out the back door.

"Hey, hey," Gary cut in, "I'm not makin' fun of you or anything. You can do whatever you want to do. I was just curious, that's all."

Ash relaxed and shot the taller teen a smile. "Thanks."

Gary nodded. "Yeah. So you're leaving today? Damn, Ashy-boy, you could've given me a heads up."

"Sorry!" Ash apologized. "I kinda just decided, like, twenty minutes ago."

Gary released his wrist and smiled fondly. "Well, that sounds like you. How're you gonna get there, genius?"

Ash immediately turned to face him and gave him his best Snubbull face. "Help me?"

Gary rolled his eyes. "Arceus, do I have to do everything for you?" He looked off to the side, contemplating. "I might be able to get you on the plane if I call ahead first..."

Ash grinned widely. "Thanks, Gary! You're the bestest!"

"Bestest isn't a word, you moron," Gary snorted. "Go get Gramps and grab your Pokemon, I'll call over to Saffron and see if I can get you on the plane for free. If I can't do it, I'll have Gramps do it."

"'Kaaaaay!" Ash cheered, running out the back door.

Gary let out another loud yawn. "I swear, if I didn't look out for him, he'd be lost in some back alley in Castelia."


	2. An Exhausting Start

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Finally, chapter 2! Or rather, chapter 1? The last one was so short haha, I guess you could consider it to be a prologue.
> 
> Anyway, this time we get to see Clemont's side of things! I actually had the majority of this chapter written since last year, so I just needed to take the time to wrap it up. Unfortunately this is as far as I've written and I'm currently swamped with school stuff, so please give me a little more time to get chapter 3 up and running.
> 
> Some important things to note:
> 
> Again, I wrote this before a lot of important stuff happened in the XY anime, so there's gonna be some minor changes you'll see in this chapter, like:
> 
> Serena is Kalos Queen.  
> Serena and Bonnie grew their hair out near the end of their journey around Kalos, so it's longer.  
> Ash came in second in the Kalos League, losing to Diantha, not Alain.  
> Due to Serena's fame and Ash's popularity, Clemont and his Gym have become pretty famous as well because he's associated with them. (That's explained in more detail in this chapter.)
> 
> I have a bit more to talk about, but I don't want to spoil this chapter. So...please enjoy!

" _Clemooooont_! _Come ooooon_!"

The sun shone in through the enormous panels on the side of Prism Tower, creating large squares of warm light on the floor below. The light from outside spilled into a certain blonde Gym Leader's eyes, which were colored a deep ocean blue. The sun's rays created a glare in his glasses which, from another person's point of view, obscured his eyes as he rummaged through a pile of blueprints that were haphazardly thrown about his work area.

He was dressed differently than normal, since that day was a very special occasion to him and his little sister. They were both planning to meet up with one of their long-time traveling companions, Serena, who had become the current Kalos Queen and was quite busy living up to her fame and fortune. She hardly ever had time to come visit them, which was why that day was so very important. They were planning to meet at a little cafe that Serena had once gone to with the previous Kalos Queen, Aria. Clemont knew that he needed to be dressed properly for the occasion, but unfortunately for him he had absolutely no sense of fashion. Thankfully, the last time Serena had visited she'd taken both him and Bonnie shopping and had gotten them both lots of clothing, much to the little girl's delight. So now he was wearing one of the outfits Serena had chosen for him: a light blue shirt with medium-length sleeves and a similarly styled yellow one underneath, the sleeves poking out from beneath his blue shirt and collar. Around his neck hung a short necklace, almost like a choker, with his Gym's badge insignia. She'd also picked out a pair of white designer jeans that, despite their look, were extremely comfortable.

"Clemont!" Bonnie's impatient voice called from down the hallway. "If you don't hurry up I'll send in Dedenne to nuzzle you!"

Clemont gave up in his search and quickly padded across the floor barefoot. He had no idea where he'd put the shoes Serena had bought, so on his way out of the room he grabbed a pair of blue sandals and slid them on before rushing out to meet Bonnie in the hallway.

"S-sorry, Bonnie!" Clemont gasped, double checking to make sure he had his Pokemon on him. Chespin was really intent on playing with Braixen again.

Bonnie stared at him, expression contemplative. She was wearing a cute yellow summer dress, complete with lace and polka-dots. Her legs were covered with white stockings and on her feet were shiny yellow shoes that clicked when she walked. Over her shoulder was her yellow bag, which matched perfectly with her current outfit. She'd started to grow out her hair towards the end of their journey, so now several strands hung around her shoulders while the rest of it was pulled up into her usual side ponytail. Clemont, on the other hand, hadn't done anything with his hair, preferring it to be just the way it was. On the occasional hot day he'd pull it back into a short ponytail, but otherwise it was still the same style as always.

Dedenne sat perched on Bonnie's shoulder, whiskers twitching impatiently.

"Wow, big brother," Bonnie said, looking him up and down and then giving him a nod of approval. "You look nice!"

Clemont could feel his cheeks coloring. "Eheh...um, thank you, Bonnie."

"It's a good change from the usual jumpsuit you wear," she continued, "Serena did a good job when she picked out clothes for you! You should wear stuff like this more often."

Clemont laughed and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. Did a change of wardrobe really make that much of a difference? Well, apparently. "Yeah, I guess. Anyway, we should get going. We don't want to keep Serena waiting."

Bonnie nodded energetically. "Mmm-hmm! Let's go, let's go!" Dedenne chirruped happily from her shoulder, excited to see Serena and her Pokemon. He'd grown especially fond of her Sylveon.

The siblings stepped onto the elevator that would take them down to the ground floor of Prism Tower. Clemont leaned over and hit the proper button, making the doors shut in front of them with a soft click. Bonnie began to rock back and forth on her heels from excitement, Dedenne bouncing around on top of her head. Clemont chuckled at his sister's obvious eagerness as they made their descent. Thankfully, he wouldn't have to worry about the Gym since he'd put Clembot in charge of facing challengers for the day.

Perhaps it was just his imagination, but he was almost sure that the Gym was getting more popular recently. More and more challengers came by to battle him, and twice the amount of people showed up to watch from the stands. On a good day there would be a crowd waiting for him when he stepped onto the battlefield, and seeing so many people always had him swallowing back his nervousness and mentally preparing himself for the upcoming fight. He supposed he owed his newfound popularity to Serena and Ash, two people who had made their names in Kalos.

Serena's was obvious; she was the Kalos Queen, the star of the Pokemon Showcase, and Clemont couldn't even begin to count the number of fans who had come up to him and asked if they could get her autograph somehow. Apparently word had gotten around that he was friends with Serena, and some people even thought they were dating, which he found to be highly amusing.

Some of the popularity came from his own fans—Clemont had always been known as the Electric Wiz Kid, so many people knew of his talents and inventions all throughout the city. The fact that he'd traveled with Ash and Serena at one point in time fascinated people, and occasionally he'd get fans asking questions about his journey and what his friends had been like. Speaking of Ash, he'd come in second place in the Kalos League, losing to Diantha with only one Pokemon left on each side. It was quite the spectacular battle, one for the history books. It had been broadcasted on TV for the whole entire region to see, so many people knew about Ash, as well.

At the thought of the enthusiastic black-haired boy, Clemont frowned. It had only been a few weeks, but he missed him immensely. It was strange to wake up in the morning and not have Ash there to greet him. Whenever he invented something new he'd always catch himself about to look over and ask Ash what he thought. He'd return to his work, slightly disgruntled, because he'd expect to hear the usual exclamation of, "Science is so amazing!" and see Ash's eyes sparkle and his face light up like it did every time. But Ash wasn't there anymore. The dull aching in his chest was a constant reminder of that. A part of him felt so...empty, so lost, without him. Clemont knew that he'd get over it in time, but that didn't mean he disliked it any less. With Serena, it was different; he'd see her from time to time and they'd keep in touch by phone call every now and then. Clemont loved Serena—she was a great girl, with a pretty smile and astounding talent—but, well, she was a girl. And though Clemont did see her as a very close friend, she didn't compare to Ash.

Ash was Clemont's inspiration, the reason he left home in the first place. He had endless amounts of energy and optimism, always looking on the bright side of things and never giving up no matter how tough the situation got. Ash was determined and courageous and driven, all things Clemont had wanted to be. Ash brought him out of his shell and showed him the world, showed him everything he was missing out on during his days cooped up inside going on invention streaks. He was truly awe-inspiring. Clemont felt like he owed Ash everything. He always wanted to repay him somehow, to thank him for all that he'd done, but once, when he'd voiced these thoughts aloud, Ash had simply smiled and said, "Being friends with you is enough payment for me, Clemont."

Clemont had never really bonded with anyone before. Sure, there was Bonnie, but there was a difference between sibling bonding and friendship bonding. Even so, Clemont could tell that the bond he had with Ash was more than just friendship. It was powerful and everlasting. And it was something he'd come to terms with only recently.

As the duo stepped out of the elevator, Clemont's cheeks turned pink. Yes, what he felt for Ash was definitely something a _lot_ stronger than friendship...

"Um, hello? Earth to Clemont?" A small hand waved in front of his face and he gently batted it away.

"S-sorry," he squeaked, shoving his glasses up his nose in an attempt to appear nonchalant. Hopefully Bonnie hadn't noticed the obvious blush on his face.

Bonnie stared at him like he'd grown a second head. "Are you okay, Clemont? You're all spacey and weird!"

Much to his dismay, color flooded to his cheeks once again. "I-I'm fine! I'm always like this!"

Bonnie's eyelids lowered. "Mmm-hmm."

Clemont grabbed her hand and marched out the front doors while letting out a high-pitched, "Let's just go already!"

They stepped out from under the shadows of Prism Tower and were immediately bathed in sunlight. It was absolutely gorgeous in Lumiose that day. The breeze picked up and ruffled their hair playfully while the sounds of Trainers having fun with their Pokemon filled their ears. Clemont shoved his hands into his pockets and started walking, Bonnie easily keeping up with him. Dedenne jumped out of her bag and ran ahead, chattering every now and then when he spotted something interesting.

Bonnie released a happy noise. "It's sooooo nice out today, isn't it, big brother?"

Clemont nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Dedenne seems to be enjoying himself."

"Uh-huh! I wonder how Serena's been doing? Oh, guess what! I saw her on TV yesterday! She looked sooooo pretty. And Braixen was with her, too!"

Clemont glanced at Bonnie out of the corner of his eye. "I know, Bonnie. I was watching too, remember?" Though he didn't recall much of the program since his thoughts were quite preoccupied with a certain tan-skinned trainer.

Bonnie furrowed her eyebrows, and then her eyes lit up. "Oh, yeah! I almost forgot! You were so quiet that I didn't even notice you were there."

Clemont chuckled awkwardly at this.

Suddenly, a quiet squeal sounded from behind them and, before he knew it, Clemont had been tackled into a hug.

"Wha—?!"

"Omigoooosh! I'm sorry, Clemont, but I couldn't help it! You just look so cute in those clothes!"

At the sound of the culprit's voice, Clemont grinned and turned around. "Serena!"

"Shhh!" Serena held a finger to her lips, sky blue eyes darting around nervously. "Don't blow my cover, okay?"

"Hi, Serena!" Bonnie half-whispered, leaning up to throw her arms around the superstar. Serena caught her and snuggled into her hair, giggling all the while.

Clemont examined her outfit curiously. She'd grown her hair back out, so now it was almost as long as it was at the start of their journey. She'd tied it back into a braid that cascaded down her back. On top of her head was a large pink sun hat that helped cover her face, along with her favorite pair of sunglasses that she was currently using to shield her eyes from the public. Her outfit was plain but cute; it was a ruffled black tanktop with polka dots and a plain pink skirt. On her feet were pink flats and she also donned some black stockings that stopped just above her knees. To a passerby, she probably looked like any normal trainer.

Bonnie finally let Serena go and gazed up at her, beaming. "How are you, Serena? Oh, oh! Clemont and I saw you on TV yesterday! You were so great!"

"Thanks, Bonnie! I'm doing pretty well. Things are super busy, but, hey," she smiled, looking the two of them over, "at least I got enough free time to come visit you guys!"

"Serena, Serena! Look at my dress! It's the one you picked out for me, see?" Bonnie did a little twirl, making Serena giggle.

"I remember that! You look very pretty in it, Bonnie. And Clemont, did I already tell you those clothes look really good on you? It's quite the change from what you usually wear," Serena commented.

"You might've mentioned it earlier, yes," Clemont laughed. "Bonnie told me the same exact thing a little while ago, too."

"Well, it's true!" Bonnie stated, crossing her arms decisively. "It's a nice change."

Clemont shot her a grin. "Thanks."

"So, how about we all go eat and catch up some more? The cafe is right around the corner," Serena offered, beginning to walk in the direction of their meeting place.

"Sure!"

"Yay! Let's go, Dedenne!"

"Ne ne ne!"

They'd barely even made it five steps before people began to stare. It wasn't often that Clemont left the Gym, let alone in the clothes he was wearing. With Bonnie skipping happily next to him and creating a lot of noise and Serena trying to stay hidden and quiet on his other side, they were attracting a lot of attention.

Clemont swallowed when people started to whisper things, and he tried to pick up the pace. Key word: tried.

He'd never really been all that fast.

"Look! Isn't that the Gym Leader?"

"His little sister's with him, too!"

"Who's that girl next to him?"

"She's kinda plain-looking."

Serena hid a grin at this.

"Why are they here?"

"Do you think that girl is Clemont's girlfriend?"

"Whaaaat? No way!"

"Can't you move any faster?" Bonnie complained, glaring up at him slightly.

"Give me a break, here," Clemont whimpered. His legs were already beginning to feel the strain of moving too quickly.

"Don't worry, we're almost there. See? The cafe is right the—"

Serena didn't even get to finish her sentence before the group was approached by a girl their age. Serena squeaked and hid behind Clemont, whistling softly. Bonnie looked quite alarmed.

"D-do you think she noticed you?" Clemont hissed.

"I hope not," Serena whispered back. "If she realizes who I am we'll be crowded by people and then we'll never be able to eat lunch!"

"Um...excuse me," the girl spoke up, appearing to be very nervous. She had reddish-orange hair that fell in curls around her shoulders. Her outfit consisted of warm colors that complimented her sapphire eyes. "A-are you..."

The group held their breath.

"...Clemont?"

Serena exhaled in relief, as did Bonnie. Clemont, however, was rooted to the spot, eyes wide. He never got approached by fans outside the Gym! Well, not usually, anyway.

"U-uh...yeah," he managed to get out, blinking rapidly. "That's me."

"Oh...wow!" The girl's eyes twinkled with delight. "I'm sorry, it's just that I've always been such a huge fan of yours and—I've never had the courage to come talk to you, but here we are! My friends forced me into coming over here and boy am I glad they did." She raised a hand to her mouth, blushing. "Oops! Sorry. I tend to talk a lot. Don't mind me!"

Clemont felt himself relaxing. He gave the girl a small smile. "Well, it's nice to meet you, uh..."

"Cassandra!" The girl giggled, bubbling with excitement.

"Cassandra, then," Clemont laughed.

_Cassandra...? I could've sworn I've heard that name before, but..._

"Well, uh, so," Cassandra babbled, twirling her hair around her finger, "Clemont. I come to all of your Gym battles and—well, I think you're just super amazing!"

Clemont chuckled and shuffled his feet, embarrassed but also proud. "A-aw, thank you. That makes me happy to hear."

"Perfect!" Clemont didn't even get a chance to process the situation before Bonnie ran up and got down on one knee, holding a hand out to the redhead.

"Cassandra! You're perfect! So please take care of my brother for me!"

"B-Bonnie!" Clemont nearly shrieked. "I've told you a million times not to—" He fumbled around his back, paling when he realized he didn't have his Clemontic Gear with him.

"Ha _ha_!" Bonnie shouted in triumph, pointing a finger at her brother, "This time you can't stop me with your dumb Aipom Arm!"

Clemont merely buried his face in his hands and moaned. Could this day get any worse?

"Um...what did you mean by "take care of my brother for me"...?" Cassandra asked, clearly confused.

Bonnie turned to her with a shocked expression. "Isn't it obvious? I can't be around to look after Clemont all the time, so he needs a wife who will take care of him in my place! Duh!"

"Bonnie!" Clemont cried, almost positive that his face was as red as Cassandra's hair by that point. Locking himself up in Prism Tower for the rest of his life was starting to sound extremely appealing.

"Me...become...Clemont's wife?" Cassandra's cheeks flushed. "Oh...my..."

Clemont launched forward with impressive speed and grabbed Bonnie's wrist, preparing to drag her off so he wouldn't have to be embarrassed any further.

"Ahaha! Please excuse my little sister. She only wants what's best for me, but sometimes she can get a little out of hand!" Clemont spoke quickly, tugging the smaller blonde away.

"...I...wouldn't mind."

Clemont abruptly paused. "...Er, what?"

"Becoming your wife would be..." Cassandra placed her hands on her cheeks, her eyes practically dancing with joy. "...the best thing in the entire world!"

Serena immediately burst into giggles. Clemont could only stare at Cassandra, completely dumbfounded. Bonnie's eyes grew twice their normal size.

"Really?!"

"Oh, yes!" Cassandra squealed, "I could cook and clean for you, and help you with your robots, and take care of the Gym while you're gone, and then we can get married and have kids and—" She cut herself off, blushing furiously. Her and her big mouth, honestly...!

Clemont's blush mirrored her own and he found he couldn't speak a word.

"Hmm..." Bonnie hummed thoughtfully. "Why not start with a date first?"

Clemont's head snapped over to face Bonnie so fast that he almost got whiplash.

"B-Bonnie!"

"What?" The girl crossed her arms and stared up at him, huffing. "You've never had any luck in your love life; I think this is the perfect opportunity for you to finally get a girlfriend!"

Clemont gawked and his mouth repeatedly opened and closed like a fish.

Bonnie nodded to herself, her blonde hair bouncing against her shoulders. "Yeah! A date would be really really good for you!"

"Come on, Clemont," Serena finally joined in, tugging her hat down a bit. She was still trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. "Give the girl a chance, will you?"

"B-bu—what?! You honestly can't expect me to—" At the extremely hopeful yet worried look on Cassandra's face, he paused.

_Oh, come on!_ He thought, biting his lip. _I mean, Bonnie does have a good point, but..._

_What about Ash?_

He'd had feelings for the talented trainer for a while now, and to suddenly ignore those feelings to go out on a date with a girl he just met? She seemed pretty nice, but...

He breathed out a sigh and put on a thoughtful expression. What was the point? Ash wasn't going to come back to Kalos anytime soon, and having that kind of a relationship with him was entirely hopeless anyway, so one date couldn't hurt, right?

"...Okay," he finally agreed. "I mean, um..." He flashed Cassandra a winning smile. "It'd be a pleasure to go on a date with you."

The redhead's eyes practically bulged out of her head. "Wait—really?!"

"Yaaaaaay!" Bonnie started jumping up and down. Serena laughed joyfully.

"Then, meet my brother at that one star restaurant tonight at seven, okay?" Bonnie asked.

Cassandra nodded furiously, her deep blue eyes practically sparkling with happiness and excitement. "Sure!"

"Cassie!"

The girl looked around, startled, and upon seeing her friends beckoning to her from a little ways off, bid the trio goodbye (with a long-lasting look in Clemont's direction) before dashing off to greet them. Immediately the group started to giggle and squeal, all of their eyes flocking to Clemont, who simply stood there. He wasn't exactly sure how he'd gotten into this situation, but it was too late to take it back now. He was going on a date.

...His first date.

Sure, he'd talked to plenty of girls before, but he'd never actually gone out with any of them. He didn't even want to get started on the boys. Yes, Clemont may have been bisexual but in the entirety of his sixteen years, no one had ever asked him out, and he'd never had the courage or desire to take anyone out on a date.

This was surely going to be quite an experience...

"Congratulations," Serena looked like a cat who had gotten the cream, her smile almost predatory as she placed a hand on the young inventor's shoulder.

Clemont released a shuddering sigh. "Thanks...I guess."

"Oh, come on, bro! Act a little more excited! You finally, _finally_ found a girl who can take care of you!" Bonnie chirped, grabbing the blonde's hand and swinging it back and forth.

"Don't get too excited, Bonnie. It's just a date," Serena chuckled. The crowd around them finally cleared, allowing the trio to start moving again.

"I have a reason to be! It's Clemont's very first date! I have to make sure everything is _perfect_ ," the little girl hissed, her eyes sparking mischievously.

"Wait, really?"

Clemont huffed as he tried to keep up with them. Didn't Serena say the cafe was right around the corner? Arceus!

"What...do you mean...really?" The taller blonde wheezed.

"What Bonnie said," Serena clarified. She stopped and pointed at the building in front of them, indicating they'd arrived. Clemont breathed a grateful sigh of relief.

"Uhm..." Clemont looked away bashfully. Bonnie pushed open the cafe door, beaming when the bell chimed as they walked in. Dedenne chattered and dashed around her feet.

"Seriously? _Clemont_!" Serena gasped, almost looking offended.

"H-hey! Don't blame me! I've just never found the right person, okay? D-dating has never really appealed to me anyway..." The genius tried to defend himself, though the furious blush on his face didn't help matters much.

"No, no no! It's okay! I was just surprised," the idol responded quickly. They took a seat by the window, Clemont next to Bonnie and Serena sitting across from them. Their waiter handed them menus before leaving with a polite nod.

Clemont hurriedly picked up his menu and opened it, sticking his nose in almost as if it were a fascinating book. The tips of his ears were pink.

"Clemont, it's really okay," Serena laughed as she casually flipped open her own menu. "I didn't start dating until I was fifteen, a little before I left on my journey with you."

The shy teen poked his head out over the top of his menu, ocean eyes wide with shock. "...Really?"

"Yeah," the girl nodded, her tone nonchalant. "To be honest, I only went out on maybe one or two dates. And then I didn't go on any more until after Ash left for Kanto three weeks ago."

"Wait, you've been on a date since Ash left?" Bonnie jumped into the conversation, Dedenne squeaking from in her lap.

"Only one. My manager suggested going out with another idol in order to make my popularity go up. He was nice, but not my type." Her eyes glimmered. "Just because I'm famous now doesn't mean my standards have changed!"

Bonnie hummed knowingly, realizing exactly who she was referring to in accordance to her "standards".

"Anyway," Serena put down her menu, seemingly knowing what she wanted to order, "it was pretty funny watching that girl flirt with you. You looked so shocked, like you didn't know what to do!"

Clemont scowled at her, his emotions betraying him once again as his cheeks returned to their famous pink color. "Well, I didn't! I've never been flirted with before..."

"Seriously? Why not? You're a good looking guy, you're really smart and kind, and you're a great Trainer and Gym Leader on top of that. I'm honestly surprised nobody has ever asked you out."

Clemont glanced away bashfully. "Th-thank you..."

"She's right," Bonnie sang. Apparently she'd been listening in the entire time, not missing a beat. "You're a catch, big brother! I just wish everyone else could see that."

"You too, Bonnie...?" Clemont blinked in surprise.

Serena laughed at the bewildered expression on his face. "You need to give yourself more credit, Clemont! Don't be so modest!"

Clemont scratched the back of his head nervously, an unsure smile upon his lips. It was strange to get compliments from Bonnie even on a good day, but Serena? She was completely different than he was—with astounding talent and confidence that he seemed to lack. Ever since he'd left on his journey with Ash his self-esteem had certainly gotten a boost, but he was nowhere near being as self-assured as Serena was. To have her praise him in such a way was flattering, yes, but he couldn't quite get used to it.

As Serena and Bonnie launched into a cheerful conversation, Clemont's eyes lowered as he got lost in deep thought. He'd been aware for quite some time now that Serena also had feelings for Ash. But unlike him she'd harbored these feelings for a long time, ever since she met him in Kanto around five years ago. How could he possibly compete with that? Against someone like Serena, Clemont stood no chance whatsoever in gaining Ash's attention. He didn't even know if Ash liked boys.

Luckily, Ash never seemed to respond to Serena's affections, either because he was uninterested or he was really dense and didn't understand the depth of her feelings for him. It was probably the latter, knowing Ash. Clemont knew the raven-haired boy's love went to Pokemon first and foremost. It was difficult to distract him from that.

He sighed deeply and returned to looking through the menu, deciding on something plain and not too large of a meal. Thinking about Ash and Serena like that made him lose his appetite. He sincerely hoped that if the time ever came when Serena confessed to him that he'd politely decline her. Clemont knew this wish was extremely selfish, but he couldn't help it. Of course he wanted Ash to be happy...and if he could find happiness with Serena, well, Clemont wouldn't stop them from achieving that. But still...there was the tiniest glimmer of hope inside him that maybe, maybe Ash might feel the same way. It was nearly impossible, a .0001% chance of actually being factual, but Clemont would hold on to that chance.

"Clemont? Hello?"

The blonde snapped up, ocean eyes wide as he met Serena's expectant gaze. Their waiter was standing by their table, awaiting Clemont's order.

Serena smiled at him kindly and tapped her wrist. "I'm on a tight schedule here, Clemont. Mind ordering soon?"

"U-uh, yes, I'm so sorry!" Clemont squeaked, shoving his glasses up his nose. Bonnie snickered from next to him.

He hurriedly rattled off his order to the waiter, who nodded and took their menus before walking off. Clemont slumped into his chair with a deep sigh. The day wasn't even halfway over yet and he was already exhausted. He just wanted to go back to Prism Tower, curl up on his futon, and sleep.

Unfortunately, he had a Gym to take care of. People tended to get annoyed when having to face a robotic replacement. Clemont had been absent from Lumiose Gym long enough, and he had responsibilities to it that he couldn't ignore. Relying on Clembot to take care of everything was a bad habit. He appreciated all that the robot had done for him, but he couldn't run away from his duties to the Gym. He had to step up.

Of course, that wasn't all. Due to Bonnie's stubbornness Clemont now had a date scheduled for later that night. He groaned and rubbed a hand across his face. How much of a disaster would that turn out to be?

It was during times like these he really missed Ash the most. The Kanto Trainer wasn't the best at giving girl advice but at least they could have a good laugh over it. Clemont felt that ever familiar ache in his chest once again. He really did miss Ash...he wanted to see him again, as silly as that sounded. It had only been three weeks, but the black-haired prodigy had left a large gap in his life that couldn't be filled with anything else. Clemont had grown so used to being around Ash that it was completely unnatural to not be near him at all times.

The blonde released a frustrated noise and pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting back another blush.

Yikes. He had it _bad_.

"Do you think he's okay?"

"Who knows. He's been a space case ever since Ash left!"

Clemont once again snapped to focus and swallowed when he realized that Serena and Bonnie had been staring at him for quite some time now, being witnesses to his inner meltdown. Great...

"Clemont...are you doing alright?" Serena asked, genuinely concerned.

The blonde waved her off. "I'm fine. Sorry. I have a lot on my mind."

Bonnie grinned widely. She almost looked like a Sharpedo on the hunt. "He's probably thinking about his date tonight~"

Clemont wasn't in the mood to object, so he just exhaled quietly and rubbed his temples.

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

"Attention all passengers: We have successfully taken off. Please keep your larger Pokemon in their balls until further notice. We will be arriving in Kalos in several hours."

Pikachu cooed happily as his Trainer scratched behind his ears. He could sense tons of energy radiating from the teen, probably due to his eagerness of their trip.

"It won't be much longer now, buddy," Ash grinned down at the yellow mouse in his lap.

"Chyaaa," Pikachu piped up.

"I can't wait to see Clemont again," Ash bubbled, his eyes brighter than they'd been in a while. "I wonder if he's invented anything new...aww, man! I'm so excited!"

The Pokemon's ears twitched amusedly at Ash's very obvious fondness for Clemont.

"Ah, we'll have to call Mom and Professor Oak when we get there," Ash continued, "and thank Gary for his help. We'll definitely have to battle him the next time we see him, right Pikachu?"

"Pika!" The small creature nodded excitedly. It had been quite some time since he'd battled any of Gary's Pokemon.

"Well, what should we do until we get there? Are you feeling tired, buddy? Maybe a nap would do..."

Pikachu curled into Ash's lap, good with the suggestion. Ash chuckled and ran his fingers through the mouse's soft fur, smiling when Pikachu hummed contentedly.

"Only a couple more hours," Ash murmured to himself, his eyes drifting shut as he slipped into a comfortable sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all for now, folks!
> 
> A few things:
> 
> Okay so. About Cassandra. There's actually a story behind that. Quite some time ago, I came up with a different Diode story idea, in which Clemont is recruited by Team Flare, specifically Xerosic because he's fascinated by Clemont's inventions. Clemont happily helps them with several of their inventions and machines, not knowing their evil intentions. Eventually he realizes what's going on and leaves Team Flare, but Lysandre is not happy with Clemont escaping with all of their secrets, so he orders for Clemont to be kidnapped (which, surprisingly, Xerosic apparently kidnaps Clemont in one of the newest episodes of XYZ. Am I like, a psychic when it comes to predicting these types of things?! I come up with an idea for Team Flare to kidnap this kid...and then it actually happens in the show. Holy shit. ANYWAY-). While Ash, Serena and Bonnie desperately search for Clemont, Clemont is kept in Team Flare's secret base and is taken care of by none other than Cassandra! Yes, she was a Team Flare OC for that story idea, and she has a very unhealthy obsession with Clemont, which can kind of be seen in this story as well. But yeah, you're not supposed to like her, she's supposed to be obnoxious and annoying and possessive lol. And in this story...well, you'll have to find out next time, won't you? Clemont gives a little hint, but that's all I'm going to give away!
> 
> Sorry for that long explanation! I just wanted to explain why Cassandra acts the way she does. Don't worry. She's like, a super minor character that I came up with ages ago that's supposed to piss people off, and her importance to this story is minimal (except for the fact that she makes Ash a little jealous later on hahaaaa).
> 
> Next time on Viens avec moi! Ash arrives in Kalos! Clemont takes care of several challengers at the Gym! And Bonnie prepares him for his date! How will Ash react when he realizes Clemont's going out with someone?
> 
> Until next time, my dears!


End file.
